Setting to rest all speculation about his reunion with estranged partner Mahesh Bhupathi, Leander Paes said he has not given the possibility any meaningful thought.
"I'm committed to David Rikl for the full year, so there's no question (of reuniting with Bhupathi)," Paes said before leaving Kolkata for Europe, where he is to play an ATP tournament.
Paes, who partnered Bhupathi for the doubles match in India's Davis Cup tie against New Zealand over the weekend, said he had not given his "future any thought yet".
Bhupathi, who is slated to play in Portugal this week, had hinted at being open to the idea of a reunion with his former partner in order to regain the doubles numero uno ranking.
Bhupathi had said they had a talk on the matter during the Davis Cup tie, but "no decision has been taken yet".
Paes and Bhupathi had taken the tennis world by storm in 1997 winning their first major title together on the ATP tour at the 1997 Gold Flake Open. They won 12 titles thereafter leading up to a sensational 1999, which saw them become the first pair since 1952 to reach all four Grand Slam finals and win the Wimbledon and French Open titles.
Bhupathi will partner Max Mirnyi in his next few doubles engagements.
The rumours of a Lee-Hesh encore in world tennis were further fuelled after India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly urged the two players to come together again and do the country proud.
Ganguly's appeal was said to have moved both Paes and Bhupathi, but the emotions are unlikely to reignite the old flame that had set tennis's doubles scene ablaze.
